All Things Considered for April 26, 2006 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

What the doctor hears
Even in this high-tech age of medical imaging, the sights and sounds of the physical exam are still essential to medical care. This is the time of year when first-year medical students are going through their practical training in physical exams. What they will discover there, using methods perfected over 100 years ago, can still tell physicians a lot about the state of a patient's health.4:47 p.m.
Pioneer Press sold to MediaNews Group
McClatchy is selling off 12 Knight Ridder papers, including the four that are part of this deal. While the buyer has emerged, MediaNews Group's plans for the St. Paul Pioneer Press remain a mystery.5:18 p.m.
House passes new stadium bill for Minnesota Twins
By a comfortable 76-to-55 margin, the House approved a measure that would allow Hennepin County to impose a sales tax without voter approval.5:23 p.m.
Minnesota's environmental report card just so-so
A new report on Minnesota's environmental health gives the state mixed reviews when it comes to air and water quality and waste generation. The headline might be "holding steady," despite population growth and urban sprawl. But with expected growth to continue, and more people on the roads, the challenge will be maintaining the status quo, not to mention measurable improvement.5:47 p.m.
Historic sites reopen
Restored state funding for seven Minnesota historic sites, including the James J. Hill House and the Lower Sioux Agency means regular operations at the locations this summer. The state cut money for the sites three years ago.5:52 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Springsteen Speaks: The Music of Pete Seeger
Bruce Springsteen reinterprets the songbook of American folk legend Pete Seeger on his album We Shall Overcome. He talks about Seeger's music, the creative process and the importance of an adventurous audience.
Tony Snow to Replace McClellan in Press Job
President Bush announces that Tony Snow will be his new White House press secretary. Snow, a Fox Radio and TV News host, takes over from Scott McClellan as part of a shake-up of senior staff at the White House.
Senate Diverts Iraq Funds to U.S.-Mexico Border
The Senate votes to strip nearly $2 billion from emergency funding for the war in Iraq, using the money instead to bolster security along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats criticized the Republican move to cut nearly three percent of the $72 billion meant mainly for the war in Iraq.
Supreme Court Weighs Pain of Deadly Injection
The Supreme Court hears arguments on what condemned inmates can do to challenge their method of execution. The Florida case centers on whether an inmate should get a federal court hearing on his claim that the lethal-injection method causes unnecessary pain.
Moussaoui Jury Deliberates Another Day
Jurors in Alexandria, Va., spent another day deliberating the fate of Zacarias Moussaoui, deciding whether the al-Qaida conspirator would be put to death. Robert Siegel talks with Professor Janice Nadler of Northwestern University Law School about victim impact statements in a capital case.
Chernobyl, Nuclear Power's Dark Side
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the nuclear disaster in then-Soviet Ukraine. Hundreds attended a ceremony at Chernobyl to commemorate the somber anniversary. Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko told the crowd that Chernobyl must not be a mournig place, but a place of hope.
Author Erica Jong, on Getting Panned
Seducing the Demon, the latest book by novelist Erica Jong, received a bad review in The New York Times this past Sunday. In the past, Jong says she would have curled up in bed and thought about changing careers. But now she says that perhaps she could learn something from a critic's harsh words.
Rice, Rumsfeld Meet New Leader in Iraq
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld fly to Baghdad for meetings with the new Iraqi prime minister and other top officials.
Two Years After Abu Ghraib, Abuse Reports Linger
Two years ago, disturbing photographs showing U.S. soldiers abusing detainees at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison were made public. Amid an outcry, Congress and the White House promised to punish those responsible. But a report by several human-rights groups says that, so far, only low-ranking soldiers have borne the brunt of the scandal, and that abuse in Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, is still widespread.
Suicide Bombers Hit International Force in Sinai
In another terrorist attack in the Sinai Peninsula, two suicide bombers strike outside a base of the multinational peacekeeping force. There have also been reports of a gunbattle between police and militants in the Nile delta.